Dr. Ella Levy
Dr. Levy was born in Jerusalem, Israel. Throughout the years, Dr. Levy has created, developed, and implemented many formal and informal Jewish Educational programs, and she inspired and facilitated the Jewish educational journey of many students of diverse age groups. She was an active Board member of the Central Agency for Jewish Education in Miami and a member of the Office of the President for the Hebrew Alliance Teachers. In 2004, Dr. Levy earned the reputable Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. In 2005, Dr. Levy presented The Effectiveness of Incorporating Music in Teaching Hebrew and Judaics at the Network for Research in Jewish Education (NRJE) conference at Brandeis University. In 2006, she earned the Torah Aura Award in Curriculum and Administration. Dr. Levy holds a Master and Doctoral degree in Education from Nova Southeastern University. She specializes in Organizational and Educational Leadership. Dr. Levy also holds a Principal’s and a Jewish Family Educator’s License from the National Board of License for Teachers and Principals of Jewish Schools in North America. She is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem.
Natan Fandel
Natan Fandel is the Assistant Director, Youth Advisor, Judiac High coordinator, Ulpan Kef and 2nd grade homeroom teacher. He is a recent graduate at the University of Massachusetts with an Economic major and a Psychology. He has also attended and worked at Camp Ramah in New England since 2009. Through his life journey he developed a passion of spreading the joy of Judaism to the younger generation of Jews. Natan looks forward to continuing this journey with teaching here at Temple Israel Religious School.
Joan Waldman
This is Morah Joan's 6th year as a classroom teacher at TIRS. She evaluated and taught children with learning differences in the public schools for many years. She enjoys both instructing the students and working with families toward common goals. Joan is a long-time Temple Israel member, with a strong and enduring interest in Jewish studies. Joan studied and taught in Israel for 3 years (long ago) and speaks passable Hebrew. She has strong family connections in Israel. Joan has enjoyed tutoring T.I. students for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah for several years.
Gila Yudewitz
Gila has been working at Temple Israel for 7 years, and at Hertz for 2. She loved it so much, last year she never wanted to leave! Gila has a special language with kids and encourages them to be themselves. She incorporates kindness, teamwork, positivity, social/emotional awareness, and love of Judaism into all her classes and programs. Gila, like all the Temple Israel teachers, is a team player and is focused on working with parents to make it an amazing year. Thank you for trusting us with your children. It will be a wonderful and safe year!
Inez Springer
Morah Inez is originally from Milton. She lived in Stoughton for over 30 years and just moved to Foxboro in 2020. Inez has a son who lives on the North Shore and a daughter who lives in Florida. Her favorite place is being on the beach, and she loves the opportunity to travel! Morah Inez worked with children throughout her career as a Teacher, Childcare Center Director and for the last 21 years. She has been working for a Family Child Care System supporting Educators, and at the same time servicing at risk and low-income families and children. Her Jewish teaching experience over the years most recently have included teaching Kindergarten and First grade children in the synagogues in both Stoughton & Milton. She looks forward to introducing your children to a love of Judaic learning through songs, crafts stories and more.
Pazit Lahav
Pazit Lahav is a dancer, a dancing instructor, a choreographer, and the owner of "Brookline Folk Dancing". She started dancing when she was 3 years old and fell in love with it. Her life mission is to spread joy in her world and help people connect through dance. She has been teaching dance in multiple places and age groups, starting from preschools, schools, universities, all the way to adults. Dance has taught her to help instill in people a form of self-expression, a renewed sense of confidence, human connection, and as a result of all of these, an increased sense of joy. Join Pazit on a journey into the joyful world of dance and together we will find new depths in ourselves.
Elah Grandel
Elah Grandel was born in Boston, but her parents brought her to Israel when she was 2 years old, and since her father was an American and her mom Israeli, she grew up in a bilingual home. Elah grew up in Jerusalem and started playing the bassoon when she went to study at the Rubin Academy High School. Following that, she joined the Israeli Army and served there for two years in the program for distinguished musicians. During her Army service she was able to study at the Rubin Academy for higher education, where she received her bachelor's degree in music performance. Elah came to Boston with her husband, Misha Grandel (a fantastic trumpet player) in 1999 and graduated with a master's in music performance from Boston University. Their two boys (11 and 14) play violin and clarinet. Over the years, teaching music to younger children became a real passion and now Elah teaches music in preschools and Jewish day schools. This will be her 7th year teaching at Temple Israel!